The Last Stand
by Darantha
Summary: Years pass, and some things change, while other doesn't. They maybe didn't get to spend their life together the way they wanted, but perhaps they get their last moments together instead. "Just like old times, eh?" Alistair/femPC


I really think I'm in love with this game. Will be so nice to see what Awakening have in store for us. I just hope that if we romanced Alistair, we'll still be able to continue that, even if he isn't in the party. I mean… as far as I've understood the secretary you get on the new Normandy in Mass Effect 2 is a romance option, and she isn't a party member, so… keeping my hopes up on that we'll be able to continue the wonderful romance with Alistair. Otherwise I'll be a sad cookie.

Anyway, I accidently undid some of the hardening I did of Alistair in my first playthrough, so he broke up with my poor city elf when I made him king. Though, I did pick the "I just wish to continue to serve the crown" option, because in my head it just seemed so sweet. Soooo, this story came to me a few days afterwards, and I just had to type it down. I'm not that great of a writer, but I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Hope you enjoy it!

… Alistair plushie to you if you read it all.

*-*-*

She took the steps of the stairs two at a time, glad that she still had the vigor to do so at her age, as she ascended the tower, leaving the messenger boy and the commotion of the great hall behind her. The boy had come running for her just a few minutes ago, catching her as she was on her way out to the courtyard to look for the man who lead the returning entourage of armed men and kindly remind him of the list of urgent affairs that had grown during his absence from the city. Apparently he had managed to sneak by her and already return to his study.

"Milady," greeted the guard stationed outside the large oak door her as she came into view from around the bend of the tower.

She smiled and nodded in greeting. "Is the king still inside, or has he run off again?" she asked with a wry smile, and the guard grinned in response. It was common knowledge that the king's chancellor often was left with the king's paperwork whenever he decided to "flee from the scrutinizing gaze of the old geezers who are most likely out for his cheese" and take a short tour around his lands.

"He's in there, milady, said you could go right in when you came."

She chuckled and nodded at the man, who opened the door for her as she stepped into the king's study.

"So, your majesty finally saw fit to return and not leave me with all the dirty work?" she said as she entered the room, the door closing softly behind her as she walked up to stand by the broad shouldered man's desk. He was standing with his back to her, gazing out the window. He still wore his travelling clothes, a simple tunic with the royal crest on one shoulder, and the griffon of the Grey Wardens on the other, and cotton breeches. A frown made its way up on her features when he didn't reprimand her for calling him 'your majesty' or anything along those lines, or even acknowledged her presence at all.

"Alistair… is something wrong?" she carefully asked as she walked up next to him, a tight knot of worry quickly growing inside her chest at his unusual behavior. The last time he had been this quiet had been when he had summoned her once she had returned from a visit in the city, only to tell her that Wynne had passed on.

As he turned his head to look at her, she was met with a face lined with age and emotional burdens, nothing like the man she had served and quietly loved for a long time. His blonde hair had turned grey, but he still held the same vigor in his body and soul as he had when they first had met all those years ago at Ostagar. But now those usually energetic eyes looked tired.

"The nightmares… they have returned," he mumbled.

Her eyes widened as his statement sunk in and her hand fell away from his shoulder. But then she slowly nodded. "I understand…"

Alistair gave her a small smile at her reaction. "Oh come on, it's not like it's a surprise. It's what, 32 years since we got rid of that troublesome archdemon?"

"31," she corrected him with a lopsided smile. He instantly laughed, and for the brief time she could see the ghost of the young innocent Grey Warden he once had been, not the hardened king he now was. She sometimes wondered if she had done the wrong thing when she had supported his claim on the throne, when he hadn't been that fond of the idea at first. But she always kept those thought at bay by reminding her that he was what the country needed and that she didn't want to make him or the ones who was his family suffer by being his woman on the side. Seeing him marrying another woman had been a hard thing, but she had never held ill feelings towards queen Linoa, who had been a sweet woman and a good mother and wife. Though she had often suspected that the gentle spoken queen had not been completely oblivious to the bond her husband and his chancellor once had shared. Never the less, the queen had never treated her unfairly for it and had even asked her to keep an eye on her husband and children before she had passed away in sickness a few years ago. Alistair had been devastated after her death, but had put on a brave face for his children's sake.

Suddenly Alistair cleared his throat and they broke eye contact, each returning their gaze to something safer in a attempt to keep the memories of battles long gone, and long passionate nights from resurfacing. "Well, I better… do… something," he mumbled while scratching the back of his neck. He gave her a careful glance, noticing that the far off look in her eyes had returned again as she stared out the window. "You alright?"

She nodded absentmindedly. "So, do you want me to send word to king Bhelen that he can expect us to come by before heading towards the Deep Roads?" she asked without thinking of it, her thoughts having returned to the past, and just automatically recalling the Grey Wardens' old tradition when the taint grew too strong in them.

"Yeah, I think I'll – wait, 'us'? You're coming with me?" The tone of his voice cleared away the mists of old memories and she looked up at him again. His expression was surprised, but at the same time she could see a glimmer of happiness in his eyes. A smile spread on her lips and she nodded. "Of course. I went through the joining not long after you, so I doubt I have much time left either."

Alistair's expression softened and he smiled fondly at her. "That's… a relieving thought. Just like the old time, eh?"

She laughed softly. "Yeah, just like the old times. One last stand. Together. Just us and the darkspawn."

"Oooh, lovely. I'm sure they have missed us terribly. I know I have. Missed them, that is."

*-*-*

He glanced at her as they waited for the darkspawn to fall upon them in the room they had retreated to. They had since long run out of healing potions, and their armor was scratched and dented from the numerous blows and spells that had been thrown at them. Both were weary and covered in the blood of the darkspawn they had slain since they had entered the old dwarven city, far away from the thaigs that had been reclaimed since king Bhelen had ascended the throne. Far away from the ceremonies the two legendary Grey Wardens had received from the dwarves. Far away from anyone. They were alone in the deeps.

Alistair quickly bent down and gave her a gentle kiss, barely giving her time to recover from the initial surprise and respond to it before pulling back again. "I love you, always have, and always will," he said softly, a tender look in his eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"I'll love you to the end of time, Alistair…" she whispered against his lips. They drew back and shared a look that said more than words ever could do, silent promises that they would find each other again. Their bond went deeper than life itself, and they knew it.

Then the darkspawn burst in through the doors, sending the old wooden doors flying of their hinges and halfway into the big room. The two Grey Wardens looked at each other one last time before they threw themselves at their enemies with a united "For the Grey Wardens!" that was said to have echoed throughout the whole of the Deep Roads.

And so, yet another legend ended.


End file.
